Ornithology

As is now taught in special courses designed to aide military personnel in the event of their being captured, one of the greatest dangers to the psychological health, and thus the physical endurance and well-being, of a person held in captivity is that of boredom.

Ranging from ratites to tanagers Ms. van Grouw’s illustrations and accompanying explanations cut through the usual scientific jargon common to most books about bird anatomy and make the form and function of the bodies of her subjects easily intelligible to any and all who are interested.

Try to think of a bird and not imagine feathers. It’s impossible. Even a a plucked chicken in a supermarket shows evidence of it once having been surrounded in feathers. And this is as it should be; for as Hanson clearly (and most entertainingly) explains, the very evolution of birds as a Class is inextricably interwoven with the evolution of the feather itself.

With the publication of Birdwatching With Your Eyes Closed; An Introduction to Birdsong, Simon Barnes brings his unique combination of professional experience and amateur enthusiasm to a very wide potential readership; one that includes not only bird watchers of all levels of experience but those who don’t necessarily even consider themselves bird watchers as well.